Nonrefillable receptacle



July 7, 1936. A. G. FULLER NONREFILLAB LE REGEPTACLE Filed March 22, 1934 INVENTOR ATTO EY? Patented July 7, 1936 PATENT OFFICE NONREFILLABLE RE CEPTACLE Albert G. Fuller, Brooklyn, N. Y., assignor to Bushwick Can Co. Inc., a corporation of New York Application March 22, 1934, Serial No. 716,843

12 Claims.

My invention concerns a device by which the refilling of a vessel, containing a liquid, is prevented, and in particular it refers to a can of the sort in which gasoline or lubricating oils such as are used in the automobile industry, are kept. As there are many particular brands of fuel as well as lubricating oils on the market of different quality and merit, it is important for the manufacturers of these oils to guard against fraudulent l0 competition, as often an inferior brand is sold and dispensed from vessels or tin cans wearing the old labels or being embossed with the trade-mark and name of the manufacturer of the original contents, by unscrupulous dealers or keepers of 15 gasoline filling stations.

I am aware that many closure devices and caps for non-refillable bottles have been invented, some of which have found their way into the market, but most of these are too complicated 2 and consequently to expensive to manufacture in great quantities and therefore add too great an increase of cost upon an already cheap article, and it was essentially such consideration which prompted the invention of this extremely 25 simple, inexpensive and yet eificient device which can be embodied in the usual construction of a tin can, such as is used for gasoline or oil, and would give sufiicient quarantee that the container, when empty or partly empty, could not be 30 tampered with,-at least not without showing signs, easy todetect, or involving too much labor or expense to a would-be adulterator.

This simplified and inexpensive construction which is specially adapted for tin cans, the con- 35 tainer and the component parts of the device being all made of the same metallic material, does not prevent its application to glass bottles or jars, as can easily be seen and will be explained later, and its usefulness is therefore not confined to 40 cheap tin cans nor to such liquids, as motor oil or petroleum products.

It is among the objects of the present invention therefore to provide a reliable and inexpensive device preventing the refilling of a contain- 45 er for liquids.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose specified which is particularly adapted to be embodied in a metal can construction.

50 A further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose specified which is exclusively composed of metal parts which can easily be manufactured by a tinsmith or can maker.

A further object is to provide a device of the 55 kind described which can be made essentially from tin or other metal sheets, punched in blank form, pressed, drawn and beaded into proper shape.

A further object is to provide a construction for such a device which can be manufactured o cheaply in great quantities by special machinery for molding metal sheet ware.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for a non-refillable can which may likewise be applied to a glass bottle.

Another object is to provide a closure device for a vessel which permits the liquid content of the same to flow out when the can is tilted over, but effectively closes the outlet when the can is in upright position.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device for the purpose specified, the active part of which is inaccessible for a wire or other tool by which the device might be made inoperative.

A further object is to provide a metallic device for preventing the refilling of a can or bottle which is fool-proof against tampering with a natural or electro-magnet.

Other more specific objects and advantages of the device will appear as the nature of the improvements are better understood, the invention consisting substantially in the novel arrangement and correlation of instrumentalities herein fully described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein similar reference characters are used to describe corresponding parts throughout the several views and then finally pointed out and specifically defined and indicated in the appended claims.

The disclosure made the basis of exemplifying the present inventive concept suggests a practical embodiment thereof, but the invention is not to be restricted to the exact details of this disclosure, and the latter therefore is to be understood from an illustrative rather than a restrictive standpoint. V

In the accompanying drawing Fig. 1 is a top view of a can with an outlet device made according to the principles of the invention.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section through the device at an exaggerated scale, showing also one corner of the can in section;

Fig. 3 comprises the different elements, of which the device is composed, separated from each other and shown in the sequence in which they are as sembled. The views are partly in section;

Fig. 4 shows the cone-shaped member, forming the main operative element of the device.

Referring to the diiferent views more especially in detail, numeral I0 designates a tin can of the usual construction, of rectangular or prismatic cross-sections with rounded corners. The lid IDA (Fig. l) is fixedly attached to the mantle IDB by means of an interlocking seam H, going all around the periphery. The lid may be plain or partly embossed or extruded to stiffen it, but near one corner it is perforated by a round aperture I2 (see Fig. 3) punched out. The circular border of this aperture is crimped by the punching die in a peculiar way. A V-shaped concentrical groove I3 surrounds the aperture, and the inner rim I4 is drawn downwardly to form a conically tapered flange which forms the seat for the cone-shaped valve member I5 which is shown in perspective in Fig. 4. This member is formed like an inverted closed cone or funnel without an outlet, but with a flanged upper rim I5a with three cars or lobes I5b to give it more bearing surface. It is formed from an originally flat blank, rolled into conical shape and welded or soldered together with a liquid-tight seam so as to leave no hole through which liquid might trickle. It is loosely placed over the conically tapered flange, and when held down, will completely close the outlet aperture, as indicated in Fig. 2. A cup-shaped cap I6 is inverted over this aperture with the conical member I5 seated therein and, after the can is filled with whatever fluid is destined to be kept therein, the lower edge is securely and permanently fastened in the V-shaped groove I3 by welding or soldering IBS. The inverted bottom of the cup, forming therefore the top of the cap I6, is closed, except for a little airhole I1 and an arcuated narrow slot I8, placed concentrically with the circular periphery of the cap and near the corner of the lid. The inner rim of this slot is bent so as to form an inwardly protruding lip I841.

The airhole I1 and the arcuated slot and lip is located far enough from the center, so that for instance a wire inserted into the slot or hole cannot reach through the perforations of the sievelike plate 2 I, to be described later, and in this way reach the flange edge I5a of the valve cone I5. The cylindrical mantle of the cap is provided with a coarse thread ISA, pressed into it by the forming die.

A cover I9, likewise cup-shaped and provided with a correspondingly formed thread I9A, can be screwed upon the cap I6 for purposes of shipment and to serve as an airtight lid during nonuse. The extreme upper rim I913 may be knurled to offer a better manual grip for unscrewing the cover.

Within the space between the cone flange I5a and the top of the cap I6 are provided two members destined to have a limiting effect upon the opening movement of the cone I5. They comprise a weak spiral spring 20, seated with its lowermost horizontally flattened coil upon the three flange ears I51), and a perforated sieve plate 2I which advantageously may be provided with a cup-shaped flange 2 Ia, placed on top of the spring whose uppermost coil is likewise horizontally fiattened out. These latter two members must, however, be so dimensioned that there is sufficient clearance 22 left between the plate 2 I or its flange 2 Ia respectively, and the top of the cap I6, when the whole device is assembled, so that the cone i5, spring 20 and plate 2I can move outwardly enough, when the can is turned over, so that the discharge is continuous and does not require any compression of the spring.

These last two members 20 and 2|, however,

are not absolutely essential and indispensable operative parts of the device. One or the other, or even both, might be dispensed with, without rendering the device inoperative. The dished baflle plate 2| could be made much deeper,i.e.adding to it the depth which the spring occupies and the latter be dispensed with.

The main purpose of these auxiliary members, besides limiting the movability of the cone I5, as aforesaid, is to make any access to the cone I5 more difficult or practically impossible.

' The operation of the device is as follows:

When the filled can, after unscrewing the cover I9, is tilted upside down, the elements I5, 20 and 2| drop together against the inside top of the cap I6, opening an annular space between the rim of aperture I2 and cone I5 for the liquid to run out. The sieve-like plate 2I and the slot I8 do not offer much obstacle to the free outpour of the liquor.

If, however, the can is raised again into an upright position, the cone I5 drops back and completely closes the outlet I2 again. Refilling and fraudulently tampering with the device is prevented, as was explained already, to a reasonable degree. It may further be remarked that the cone-shaped element I5, at any rate, should not be made of ferrous material, i. e. galvanized iron, so that it may be raised against gravity by a powerful magnet from the outside, while the can is in an upright filling position.

Though not shown by an illustration, it can easily be understood that the device could be modified so as to be applicable to a bottle or a glass jar. Bottles or jars as a rule have a beaded neck and if the flange of cone element I5 is made to fit over the top rim of the bottle neck (leaving out the ears I5b) and the cap is just wide enough to slip over the neck, it can be spun over the beaded neck in such a way that it cannot be removed or dislocated without destroying it.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statute, I have described my invention, bu I desire it understood that it is not confined to the particular form shown and described, the same being merely illustrative, and that the invention can be carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit of my invention, and therefore I claim broadly the right to employ all equivalent instrumentalities coming within the scope of the appended claims, and by means of which, objects of my invention are attained and new results accomplished, as it is obvious that the particular embodiments herein shown and described are only some of many that can be employed to attain these objects and accomplish these results.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A device for preventing the refilling of a can with a circular outlet comprising a plate, shaped Go into a closed cone, provided with a circular flange where the outer diameter of the cone equals the diameter of said can outlet, said cone adapted to close the circular outlet when inserted with its apex into the same, and a perforated dished cap forming a concentrical cover over said outlet and cone and being integrally attached to the can body, said cap being further provided with an arcuated narrow slot in its top spaced further apart from the center than the outer rim. of the circular flange of the cone.

2. A device for preventing the refilling of a can with a circular outlet comprising a plate, shaped into a closed cone, provided with a circular flange where the outer diameter of the cone equals the diameter of said can outlet, said cone adapted to close the circular outlet when inserted with its apex into the same, and a perforated dished cap forming a concentrical cover over said outlet and cone and being'integrally attached to the can body, said cap being further provided on its top side near the outer rim with an arcuated concentrical narrow slot, the inner rim of which is bent downwardly to form a curved lip.

3. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single outlet, comprising a conical and flanged valve body, loosely seated in inverted position with its flange upon the rim of said outlet and adapted to normally close the outlet, while permitting a steady outflow, when the container is inverted, a perforated dished cap, forming a permanently attached hood over said container outlet, and unattached freely moving separating means between the loose conical valve body and the inner top of the cap to limit the movement of the former when it is propelled by gravity toward the latter in case of an inverted position of the container.

4. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnel-shaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comprising a freely moving perforated dished separator plate.

5. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnel-shaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comprising a freely moving unattached resilient cushion element normally not under tension.

6. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnelshaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comprising a perforated dished separator plate slidable within said cap and a resilient cushion element, unattached and adapted to follow the movement of the separator.

7. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, havinga single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a. perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnel-shaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comprising a dished sieve, slidable within said cap and serving as a separator.

8. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnel-shaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comprising a loose cushion spring which permits a limited upward movement of the funnel-shaped member without itself exerting any closing spring pressure upon the latter.

9. A device for preventing the refilling of a container, having a single circular outlet, comprising a closure member for said outlet shaped like a closed funnel, loosely seated with its rim in said circular outlet, a perforated dished cap, forming a fixedly attached hood over said outlet, and means to limit the free movement of the funnel-shaped closure member when it is released by gravity from the circular outlet while the container is being tilted, said means comp-rising a dished sieve, serving as a separator, superimposed on a loose cushion spring which permits a limited upward movement of the funnel-shaped member without itself exerting any closing spring pressure upon the latter.

10. The combination with a can, made of sheet metal and having a single outlet; of a device for preventing the refilling of said can, said device comprising a cap in form of an inverted cup, forming a permanently attached hood over said single can outlet and provided with an opening having an inwardly turned flange, and a check valve consisting of a closed and flanged conical body with inverted apex, loosely seated with its flange in said outlet and adapted to be temporarily released, when inverted, so as to permit a steady outflow through said flanged opening in the cap, the opening and its flange being so located as to prevent rectilinear access to the check valve.

11. The combination with a can, made of sheet metal and having a single outlet; of a device, made entirely also of sheet metal, for preventing the refilling of said can, said device comprising a cup-shaped cap, forming a permanently attached hood over said single can outlet and perforated by a slot having an inwardly turned lip, and a check valve consisting of a closed and flanged conical body with inverted apex, loosely seated with its flange in said outlet and adapted to be temporarily released, when inverted, so as to permit a steady outflow through said flanged opening in the cap, the slot with its inwardly turned lip being so located as to prevent rectilinear access to the check valve.

12. A device for preventing the refilling of a can with a circular outlet, comprising a plate, rolled into a closed cone, provided with a circular flange where the outer diameter of the cone equals the diameter of said can outlet, said cone adapted to close the circular outlet when loosely inserted with its apex into the same, and a cap structure, having a loose inner false lid, said cap forming a permanently attached concentrical cover over said outlet and cone, the outer top of the cap and the inner false lid being perforated in such a way as to obstruct rectilinear access to the cone-shaped plate, substantially as shown and described.

ALBERT G. FULLER. 

